Initially, guests will only be able to order to go, but even so hundreds were lining up at the opening.

Hong Kong Central store will be a two-story branch, with the ground floor, providing espresso drinks, iced beverages, and a curated selection of seasonal pastries to pair with Blue Bottle’s brewed-to-order goodness. Upstairs will be for relaxing time sitting back in leather-and-wood chairs and savour some of the brand’s iconic pour-over.

Founded in 2002, not only does Blue Bottle focus on using single-origin beans, it also works directly with farmers to ensure sustainable sources and aims for all of the chain’s stateside shops to achieve zero waste by the end of 2020.

In the past few months, coffee shops were not seeing their brightest moment, but Blue Bottle’s opening in Hong Kong signalled hope at least for F&B, deeply hit by social distancing measures. Restaurants are indeed fully booked, but running at their 50% capacity.